


sparking circuits

by vernacular



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azrán, Fictional language, First Meeting, Gen, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mild Archaeology, Miracle Mask, Monsters, Pre-Miracle Mask, and the oc will become a walking bowling alley carpet, if i continue this there will be romance eventually, is descole a furry? thats. a good question, the azran are wack part 17: magic talking bat-dog-dragon thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24418033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vernacular/pseuds/vernacular
Summary: "It was possible that this was the deepest room of the ruins, but by now, he'd figured out how to tune into the atmospheric signals of the Azran. There was most certainly more, further down than even the room he could not reach from here.He would find it. He had no choice but to find it."
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	sparking circuits

Jean Descole had never been much of a fan of the hot, arid atmosphere of Akbadain, and as one got deeper and the air grew thick with moisture, his opinion only worsened. He knew it was part of the trade, to deal with unpleasant temperatures and climates for the sake of exploration, for discovery, but that did not mean he had to _enjoy_ it.

He’d visited the location twice before: once to ascertain that the place really was of Azran origin (the mechanical mummies had told him everything he needed to know there), and once to start his search for the Mask of Chaos. He hadn’t made much headway regarding that yet, but he was indeed making some. That was enough of a push for him to continue visiting. He could not afford to waste time, but the risks of haste were steeper than the risks of slow progress.

Once or twice this excursion, he’d heard a rumble coming from deeper in the ruins than he’d already gone. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact location thanks to the reverberations around the room, but he could tell it was not of geological origin. In fact, it almost sounded like a large animal, either growling or snoring. Unsettling, to be certain-- he couldn’t imagine what sort of huge creature would make their home down here.

He had gone much further than last time. He must have taken a wrong turn previously, for there was far more to this site than he thought. A sprawling network of caverns hollowed out beneath the surface of the Earth, heading toward some water source he hadn't found yet. As much as he abhorred the heat, he had to admit the scale of Akbadain was _marvelous._

"Truly a shame I'm only here for the mask," he muttered to himself. "At some point I must look for other artifacts-- oh!" He stopped short, heels digging into the ground so as not to stumble down into the chasmic ravine opening its great maw before him. "...Fascinating. My research told me there would be a bridge here."

Yet, despite this, he knew he had to press on. It was possible that this was the deepest room of the ruins, but by now, he'd figured out how to tune into the atmospheric signals of the Azran. There was most certainly more, further down than even the room he could not reach from here. 

He would find it. He had no choice but to find it.

He took off his knapsack with one swift motion, and set about creating a way down. After some rope-arranging and knot-tying, he decided he was ready to descend into the ravine. After that, it was only a matter of taking his backpack and repelling down carefully.

Once his feet were safely on the ground again, Descole scanned the area. It was darker down here, and much colder. He'd need his flashlight and his cloak, which he hurriedly took out and put on. A rushing river wound past him, the water wine-dark. The walls had a blue tint down here, the dark turquoise stone a sign of Azran power if he ever saw one. Good. This was what he'd been looking for.

He adjusted his mask and began to slink along the riverbank, against its current. He needed to find its source; if he did that, he'd likely get a better understanding of how to open the Nautilus Chamber. Everything the Azran created was for a reason. Waterways were no exception. The animalistic snoring had begun again, and grew louder as he walked. He quieted his footsteps in response.

The river eventually slowed its flow a little bit, widening into a small, shallow pond. Descole found he did not need the flashlight for this area, as the Azran script on the wall cast a soft blue glow over the room. Across the water, an altar-like structure stood tall, reaching to the ceiling of the cavern.

A creature the likes of which the man had never seen rested upon its platform.

Its fur was dark and tinted purple, gleaming circuits patterned across its face and back. Spines protruded from its body, and horns curled atop its head, around its ears. It was huge, and winged, and terrifying-- and yet there was a sense of elegance in the creature, a beauty in the beast, so to speak.

For a moment, Descole was stunned into silence. He knew if he got any closer to the walls, the creature would wake, and he didn't want to risk that. Yet, he couldn't stop now. Not if he wanted to find the truth.

He took a tentative step.

Lavender eyes flashed open.

The beast immediately snarled, baring its teeth in a grim facsimile of a smile. Descole's eyes went wide, though his mask obscured the shock and fear in his expression. He lifted his hands, palms up, placating.

The beast rose up on all fours, spiked tail lashing in protective _(_ _defensive?_ _)_ fury. It pawed at the stone below it, its claws leaving light scratches on the rock. It gnashed its fangs, sharp like knives, and let out a bitter roar.

Descole, reflexively, stumbled back before catching himself. _Stay back,_ the monster had said. In Azran. This warranted further investigation. It was difficult for him to speak the language, it being long dead and sources of pronunciation few and far between, but he wondered if it might convince the beast he was not an enemy (yet, at least). At least the idea of a mutual understanding might help his temperament.

_Wait! I mean no harm,_ he uttered. Ugh. He's rusty, too.

Nonetheless, the creature stopped short. Its eyes widened in turn, staring at the explorer as if it were completely caught off guard. Descole was already forming a few hypotheses about the intelligence in its gaze, but that could be tested when the creature was done trying to scare him off.

" _...You speak this. This gibberish?_ " The beast said, a note of intrigue in its voice. It seemed he might have a chance to win it over.

Descole straightened up, dusting off the shoulder of his cloak. Clearing his throat, he responded with a simple " _Yes. Do you understand…_ English?" Not much of a translation for the name of a language that hadn't existed that long ago, he supposed.

The creature nodded, moving to sit down on its haunches now. _Rather like a dog,_ the scientist mused. He'd find all this unbelievable, a hallucination, if it weren't the Azran he was dealing with.

" _I do! I do. It's been… a long time since anyone really tried talking to me._ " The creature let out a long breath, almost a sigh. " _I keep watch over the more dangerous parts of the ruins, see. I have to scare off explorers not worth their salt from time to time, but I'm starting to go crazy with isolation. I mean, I think anyone would, being trapped down here without a means of escape and being stuck in this-- ah, I'm rambling, aren't I?_ " It smiled sheepishly at Descole's somewhat dazed expression. " _I haven't even introduced myself. I'm_ Reiner, _but for the life of me I can't remember my last name._ "

The masked man shook himself alert to his surroundings again. He had been listening intently, but he hadn't expected the beast to have a name at all, let alone a surname! Truly remarkable, this monster.

"I am Jean Descole," he responded, taking a brief bow, though his eyes remained on Reiner. "A man of science. The language you're speaking… you don't know what it is?"

" _I'm afraid I don't. But I can infer, with the ruins and all, that it's dead. Oh! Right, right, I used to be human. But. Things happened. As you can see._ " Again with that sheepish smile. It made him look goofy, far less intimidating than before.

Descole adjusted his cloak. "Indeed. This is not something I have ever come across in my expeditions before." He couldn't believe that, but perhaps, if he bargained, he could tease the truth from Reiner. Though, that story did align with his strange behavior and capacity for speech…

"Reiner, was it? I have a proposal of sorts." He tossed a smirk the monster's way. "I know a way out of the ruins. Possibly multiple. If you would tell me what happened to you in greater detail on the way out, well… freedom might very well be yours."

The beast stared at him again, shock and gratitude sneaking onto his face. " _You…_ _you would do that? I can't go back the way you came, it's too risky, but if you know another way out--_ "

"There is no guarantee that I do, but there is a distinct possibility." That river must lead somewhere, after all.

" _I'm willing to take that chance. I doubt you'd be able to do much with my story, anyhow._ "

Descole's smirk widened, and he thrust a hand out to the side. "Then it shall be done!" he proclaimed, with the drama and flair that he'd come to adapt as this persona's trademark. "Let us fly," beat, "but not literally." 

Reiner grinned back, raising a paw to his mouth in a surprisingly dainty gesture of mirth. " _I like this guy,_ " he said to himself, perhaps a bit louder than intended.

Descole made no motion to indicate that he understood. He merely beckoned the beast to follow him along the riverbank, and dared to turn his back.

This would certainly be interesting, and there was if there was one thing he hated more than a bad expedition, it was a _boring_ expedition. So it was for the best. He could analyze the walls after he'd gotten the monster out to see the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> So, AUs, huh? Thanks to my friend Star for letting me write their wonderful OC!


End file.
